This invention pertains in general to connector assemblies for mating components. More particularly, this invention relates to connector assemblies for a bone cement mixing and delivery system.
Reconstructive bone surgery is a common procedure to replace bone structures. For example, replacement hip surgery uses a prosthetic hip joint to replace a patient""s hip joint. Such surgical procedures include removing the hip joint from a femur, packing bone cement within an inner canal of the femur, and positioning the prosthetic hip joint into the bone cement inside the femur. Subsequently, the cement is allowed to harden, thereby securing the hip joint in place. A tip that is secured to a bone cement dispensing apparatus or container is commonly used to issue bone cement into a bone canal of the femur.
Typically, a bone cement delivery apparatus has a plurality of components that are used during the surgical procedure, for example, a bone cement mixing bowl, a nozzle, one or more delivery tips, a cement container and a dispensing gun just to list a few. Typical bone cement is a fast hardening variety which includes a liquid monomer and a powder that are used together to form a polymer. Once the two ingredients are brought together, for example, in a bone cement mixing bowl, optimal lapsed time for having the ingredients thoroughly mixed is from 2 to 5 minutes, and preferably approximating 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the bone cement begins to harden. Accordingly, the nature of the cement establishes time restraints in which bone replacement surgery depends and must be structured around. Since time in the surgical room, the surgical team itself, and even the bone cement are expensive propositions, any delays (expected or unexpected) must be minimized.
Adding to the time needed to prepare the bone cement is the process of connecting and disconnecting the various components of the bone cement delivery apparatus. For example, once the ingredients of bone cement are combined in a mixing bowl, the bone cement is typically transported to a container, and the container is threaded to a dispensing gun at one end and threaded to a nozzle and/or tip at the other end. Given the time constraints of the hardening cement and inherent time pressures of a surgical procedure, surgical nurses/assistants assembling the delivery apparatus commonly cross thread the components. Such components are rendered useless because bone cement leaks between the cross-threaded components, and therefore, the preparation process must begin anew. Moreover, threaded component designs have a tendency to collect the bone cement in the grooves which can further increase the risk of cross threading.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved bone cement delivery apparatus wherein components are interchangeable for different steps in the preparation process and the mating cooperation is improved to increase ease, efficiency and speed for mating one component to another.
A connector assembly is designed that uses a minimal of time and effort to mate components, for example, components of a bone cement mixing and delivery system.
According to one aspect of the invention, a connector assembly for a fluid containment system includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a male portion having a plurality of fingers extending outwardly and arcuately along the body, a terminating portion of each finger elastically urgable in an inward direction. The second body includes a female portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending receiving slots along an inner surface of the female portion, each longitudinal slot positioned to axially receive in assembly a respective one of the fingers, and a recess formed in the female portion inner surface adjacent and arcuately offset from each longitudinal slot. The first body is axially loaded into the second body by inserting the fingers into the slots, and the loaded first body is rotated relative to the second body, inwardly urging the fingers, and receiving the fingers within the respective slots.
According to another aspect of the invention, a connector assembly for a bone cement mixing and delivery system includes a bone cement container and a bone cement mixing and delivery system body. The bone cement container includes a cylindrical male portion having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly and arcuately along the container, a terminating end portion of each finger elastically urgable in an inward direction. The bone cement mixing and delivery system body includes a female portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending receiving slots along an inner surface of the female portion, each longitudinal slot positioned to axially receive in assembly a respective one of the fingers, and a recess formed in the female portion inner surface adjacent and arcuately offset from each longitudinal slot. The container is axially loaded into the body by inserting the fingers into the slots, and the loaded container is rotated relative to the body, inwardly urging the fingers, and receiving the fingers within the respective slots.